Device for making tufted articles



July 6, 1954 SALLE 2,682,842

I DEVICE FOR MAKING TUFTED ARTICLES Filed Feb. 8, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.|4

INVENTOR MAURICIO SALLE ATTORNEY July 6, 1954 M. SALLE DEVICE FOR MAKING TUFTED ARTICLES Filed Feb. 8, 1951 1/ W" Mk 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY July 6, 1954 M. SALLE DEVICE FOR MAKING TUFTED ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 8, 1951 mmjowmz mmzzx H I mm Om INVENTOR MAURICIO SALLE ATTORNEY Patented July 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims. '1

The present invention relates to a machine for manufacturing rugs, tapestry .and the like, and

which both forms and cuts loops .of yarn or thread.

Various types of handand motor-driven devices have been produced in the past for forming a series of loops-of yarn or thread ina backing material, the devices operating from the reverse side of the backing material and forming loops on the front side thereof which simulate woven carpeting or the like. A few .such devices have been proposed which will not only form the loops but cut them as well, thus producing a velvet-like appearance and texture on the front of the backing material. These cutting devices have been complex and fragile and have consequently been subject to frequent breakdown- Moreover, while they have been useable to some extent for the forming and cutting of loops of thin threads .of material, theyhave proved totally ineifective in the past, insofar as any practical production use thereof is concerned, when employed with heavy yarn .of the type incorporated into floor covering.

The present invention has for its prime object the provision of a sturdy, positively .acting,.simple anddependable device which will "both (form and vcut loops even of heavy yarn, and do so in a manner which will permit of .a high rate of pro- .ductivity.

One of the primary drawbacks inherent in prior art devices has been the fact that when the cutting action occurs a strain is placed on the thread loops. It has been thought that if that strain is applied .in the direction of the length of the loop the loop will elongate and willnot be .cut. Consequently elaborate structure has been devised to hold the tip of the loop in a fork or the .like and .cut against that fork, force being applied to the 'loop primarily at right angles to its direction of elongation. This necessitates a complex mode of operation in such prior art devices, and iurtherrequires the use of a plurality of moving parts. Because the loops are .ordinarily formed quite close to one another, all of the parts must be small, and when a number of parts must .be contained within a small area the strength .and dependability of those parts must necessarily suffer. I

The device of the present invention operates on an entirely different principle, and as a result the number of moving parts involved are min-ianal--.no more than in a conventional loopforming device which does not :cut the loops-and their-strength is sufiicientlygreat to provide for dependable operation. The mechanism comprises in essence, a conventional loop-forming needle and a stepper blade, the latter having a sharp cutting edge. Means are also provided in the device to clamp both ends of the loop after the loop has been formed. After the ends of the loop have been clamped, the stepper blade,

which has up to this point been maintained in V,

loop-forming position, is projected further outwardly. Because both ends of the loop are clamped, the loop will be cut neatly and cleanly and without elongation. Thereafter the stepper blade (or loop-cutter) is retracted, the leading end of the thread is released, and a new loop is formed. The mechanism employed for clamping and releasing the loop ends as the loops are formed is simple, sturdy and inexpensive, and its operative action in timed relation to the movement of the needle or loop-cutter is entirely automatic.

A more specific object of the present invention is to devise such a device which is operated by an electric motor operatively connected to and driving a disk with cam grooves formed therein, that disk being centrally located in the device and controlling the movement of the various operative parts of the device in a positive manner.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the structure of a loop-forming and cutting device as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the device of the present invention, but with the casing removed;

Fig. 2 is a face view of a disk having a cam groove and operating the loop-forming needles;

Fig. 3 is a similar View of the opposite surface of the disk showing a cam groove for operating the stepper blade or 100p cutter;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 6-10 diagrammatically illustrate the movement and position of the operative parts .at various stages in the formation and cutting of the loops.

The device comprises a frame including .a pair of spaced mounting plates 10 and H surrounded by a casing 36 and being held together by bolts 12. Motor I5 is mounted on the plate- H by means of bracket it, the bracket being secured to the motor by bolts H3 and to the plate H by bolts l9. As here disclosed the motor is of the pistol type, having a switch 29 in the form of a trigger for convenience in operating the machine. The shaft l4 of the motor extends between the plates I9 and H and a pinion I3 is fast thereon.

The pinion l3 meshes with teeth on a disk 2| apertured at 24 and rotatable on shaft 25 supported between the plates l9 and II. That face of the disk opposite the plate H) (see Fig. 2) is provided with a cam groove 22 eccentrically located with respect to the aperture 24. The opposite face of the disk 2| (see Fig. 3) is provided with an irregularly shaped cam groove 23.

Mounted in the frame between the sides of the disk 2| and the plates l and II respectively are guide bars 21 and 28, each formed on its inner surface with a groove 29 defining a guide for the connecting rods 30 and 3|, the former being provided with a roller-type follower 32 received within the cam groove 22 and the latter being provided with a roller-type follower 33 received within the cam groove 23. A block 34 is secured to the bottom of the casing 36 and the connecting rods 30 and 3| pass through and are guided by the block 34.

Attached to the lower end of the connecting rod 30 by the screws 38 is a depending arm 31, screws 40 securing a head 39 to the lower end thereof, that head carrying a pair of hollow looping needles 4|. The upper surface of the head 39 is provided with a transverse groove 43, and longitudinal openings 42 extend from the top of the head 39 into the hollow needles 4|, the left hand surfaces of those needles being provided with concave longitudinally extending walls 4|a. The depending arm 31 is provided with apertures 49 opposite the upper ends of the longitudinal passages 42 in the head 39.

Secured to the block 34 are a pair of depending bars 51 and spaced crossbars 59 extend between the bars 51 near the lower ends thereof. Two thread-holding clamps 55, serrated at their lower ends 54, are mounted to slide vertically through the lower bar 59, the clamps being provided with stems 69 slidable through the upper crossbar 59. Springs 6| surround the stems 69, are active upon the clamps 55, and tend to urge those clamps downwardly, the extent of their downward movement being limited by engagement of the enlarged clamp heads 55a with the upper surface of the lower crossbar 59.

Secured to the lower end of the connecting bar 3|, by the screws 45, is an arm 44 on which is mounted the two stepper blades 46, one positioned opposite each of the needles 4|. The tips of the stepper blades 46 are notched at 41, are provided with a sharp cutting edge, and ride in the concave grooves 4 la formed in the left hand surfaces of the needles 4|. Fastened to the arm 46 is a U-shaped bracket 62 having upper and lower flanges 62a. through which a rod 63 is vertically slidable, a spring 64 being active on the rod 63, as by means of cotter pin 64a, so as to urge the rod 33 downwardly, the rod 63 carrying at its lower end a loopy-holding clamp 65 serrated at its lower edge and positioned opposite the needles 4|.

An arm rigidly secures a conventional presser foot 52 to the stationary frame of the device, thus positively positioning that frame vertically with respect to the backing material upon which the machine is adapted to operate.

The manner of operation of this machine is formed by the needle 4|.

shown in Figs. 6-10. The yarn or thread 48 is passed through the apertures 49, over the needle head 39, down through a longitudinal aperture 42 therein and inside the concave needle wall 4|a. When the presser foot 52 is pressed upon the backing material, rotation of the motor shaft M will cause the disk 2| to rotate and this will force the needles 4| to penetrate the backing material and project downwardly therefrom. The thread 48 will be carried through the backing material by the needles 4|. While the needle is in this position the stepper blades or loop cutters 46 will also be moved downwardly, sliding along the concave needle wall 4|a and thus penetrating the backing material through the same aperture The degree of projection of the stepper blade 46 beyond the backing material will be determined by the length of loop desired. While ordinarily the stepper blade 46 will not project further than the concave needle Wall 4|a, so that no strain will be placed on the thread 48 at this point in the operation of the device, it is entirely within the scope of the present invention for the stepper blade 46 to project downwardly beyond the aforementioned position. No cutting will take place if this occurs, the thread being substantially freely movable through the apertures 49 and 42. As the stepper blade 48 penetrates the backing material, the clamp 65 will engage the backing material directly over the point where the previously formed loop passes over the backing material, this being the trailing end of the loop being formed. Hence that trailing loop end will be securely clamped against the backing material, the clamp 65 moving upwardly with respect to the arm 44 which carries the stepper blades 48. The position of the parts as thus far described is shown in Fig. 6.

Further rotation of the disk 2| will cause the needle 4| to be retracted, the stepper blade 46, however, remaining in position and thus holding the loop and definitely fixing the loop length. This position is illustrated in Fig. '7.

Further rotation of the disk 2| will cause further retraction of the needle 4| until the clamps are engaged by the needle head 39, those clamps being received within the transverse groove 43, resiliently yielding under the influence of springs BI, and further clamping the thread 48 within the groove 43, the clamped portion of the thread defining. the leading end of the loop being formed. The trailing loop end is still clamped against the backing material by the clamp 65. Now, with both loop ends clamped, the stepper blade 64 becomes a loop-cutter. It is projected downwardly an additional distance (compare its position in Fig. 8 with that in Fig. 7 and notice the depression in the line labelled knives) and, because the thread cannot be drawn from either end, the thread is cut by the sharpened notched end 41 of the stepper bladecutter member 46. This position is shown in Fig. 8.

Further rotation of the disk 2| gives rise to retraction of the stepper blade 46 to a point above the backing material, the needle 4| being projected downwardly through the backing material at a point in advance of the previously formed loop in order to commence the formation of a new loop. This position is illustrated in Fig. 9.

Thereafter both the needle 4| and the stepper blade 46 are projected through the backing material to form a new loop, as illustrated in Fig. 10, that figure being identical with "Fig. 6.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here disclosed, it willbe apparent that many variations may be made in the details thereof, ,all within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I consider as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. A machine for making rugs and tapestry, comprising a frame, a disk mounted in the frame, cam grooves formed on opposite faces of the disk, means for operating the disk, a hollow loop-forming needle having a head, a connection between the needle head and one of the cam grooves in the disk to operate said needle, a thread clamp supported in the frame in alignment with the head to engage and hold a thread laying on said head when the cam groove raises the needle head in contact with said thread clamp, a loop cutter operatively positioned to slide against the side of said needle, a loop clamp mounted on the loop cutter, a spring associated with the loop clamp to place said clamp under spring pressure when brought into contact with a loop formed in the fabric at the time the cutting blade is actuated to sever a newly formed loop, and a connection between the loop cutter and the second-mentioned cam groove on the disk.

2. A machine for making rugs and tapestry, comprising a frame, a disk mounted in the frame, a hollow loop forming needle having a head with a'transverse groove in one end, a cam groove formed in one face of the disk, aconnecting bar between the cam groove and the hollow loopforming needle to reciprocate said needle, a thread clamp supported on the frame inalignment with the transverse groove in the head, a spring associated with the thread clamp placed under compression to hold the thread in the transverse groove when the cam connection retracts the hollow loop-forming needle, a loop cutter operating adjacent the needle when forming a loop in the fabric, a loop clamp attached to the loop cutter, a spring associated with the loop clamp to place same under pressure when in contact with a previously formed loop while the needle forms a new loop, andv a second cam groove and connection between same and the loop cutter to operate the latter, the cam'groove being shaped to project said needle and said cutt'er to form a loop and cause saidloop clamp to engage a previously formed loop, to retract said needle until its head engages said thread clamp, and to then further project said cutter so as to cut the thus-formed loop.

3. A machine for forming and cutting loops of thread in a backing material comprising a frame, a loop-forming needle reciprocably mounted thereon, a loop cutting member reciprocably mounted on said frame so as to reciprocate adjacent said needle and having a cutting tip proiectable out beyond said backing material, first means operatively on one side of said needle for clamping and releasing the trailing end of the loop to be formed, second means operatively on the other side of said needle for clamping and releasing the leading end of the loop to be formed, and moving means operatively connected to said needle, member and first and second means and effective to operate them in the following sequence: 1) projecting said needle and said cutting member through said backing material to form a loop, and clamping the trailing end of said loop, (2) retracting said needle from said backing material and clamping the leading end of said loop, (3) further projecting said cutting member beyond said backing material to out said loop, both ends of said loop being clamped, and (4) retracting said cutting member from said backing material and releasing the leading end of said loop.

4. The machine of claim 3, in which said first means comprises a resiliently urged element carried by said cutting member, engaging said backing material at the point where a previously formed loop extends over said backing material, said engagement occurring during the time that said cutting member is projected according to step (1) of said sequence, and said resiliently urged element being yieldable to permit said cutting member to move to its position according to step (3) of said sequence.

5. The machine of claim 4, in which said second means comprises cooperating elements on said frame and operatively connected to said needle, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween when said needle is positioned according to step (2) of said sequence.

6. The machine of claim 4, in which second means comprises cooperating elements on said frame and operatively connected to said needle, at least one of said elements being spring-urged toward the other, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween when said needle is positioned according to step (2) of said sequence.

. 7. The machine of claim 3, in which said second means comprises cooperating elements on said frame and operatively connected to said needle, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween when said needle is positioned according to step (2) of said sequence.

8. The machine of claim 3, in which said second means comprises cooperating elements on said frame and operatively connected to said needle, at least one of said elements being springurged toward the other, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween when said needle is positioned according to step (2) of said sequence.

9. A machine for forming and cutting loops of thread in a backing material comprising a frame, a loop-forming needle reciprocably mounted thereon, means operatively connected to said needle and guiding thread thereto, a loop cutting member reciprocably mounted on said frame and having a cutting tip projectable out beyond said backing material, a clamp operatively connected to said cutting member and movable therewith to engage said backing material at the point where the previously formed loop of thread extends over said backing material, thereby to clamp said thread against said backing material, said clamp being yieldably mounted with respect to said cutting member to permit the latter to project further through and beyond said backing material after said clamp has clamped said thread, means on said frame cooperable with said means forguiding thread and effective to clamp said thread between itself and said guiding means when said needle is retracted, and moving means operatively connected to said needle and said cutting member for moving them in the following sequence: (1) projecting said needle through said backing material and projecting said cutting member through said backing material to grasp the formed loop, said clamp then clamping the previously formed loop against said backing material, (2) retracting said needle from said backing material until said means on said frame clamp said thread against said thread guiding means, (3) further projecting said cutting member beyond backing material so as to out said loop, both ends of said loop being clamped, and then (4) retracting said cutting member from said backing material.

10. The machine of claim 3, in which said first clamping means comprises an element movable with respect to said cutting member.

11. The machine of claim 10, which said second clamping means comprises an element movable with said needle and an element mounted on said frame with respect to which said first mentioned element is movable, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween during operation of the machine.

12. The machine of claim 3, in which said second clamping means comprises an element movable with said needle and an element mounted on said frame with respect to which said first mentioned element is movable, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween during operation of the machine.

13. A machine for forming and cutting loops of thread in a backing material comprising a frame, a loop-forming needle reciprocably mounted thereon, a loop cutting member reciprocably mounted thereon, a loop cutting member reciprocably mounted on said frame so as to reciprocate adjacent said needle and having a cutting tip projectable out beyond said backing material, first means operatively on one side of said needle for clamping and releasing the trailing end of the loop to be formed, second means operatively on the other side of said needle for clamping and releasing the leading end of the loop to be formed, and moving means operatively connected to said needle, member and first and second means and effective to operate them in the following sequence: (1) projecting said needle through said backing material to form a loop, and clamping the trailing edge of said loop, (2) clamping the leading edge of said loop, (3) projecting said cutting member through said loop to cut the same, both ends of said loop being clamped, and (4) retracting said cutting member from said backing material and releasing the leading end of said p preparatory to forming the next loop.

14. The machine of claim 13, in which said first clamping means comprises an element movable with respect to said cutting member.

15. The machine of claim 14, in which said second clamping means comprises an element movable with said needle and an element mounted on said frame with respect to which said first mentioned element is movable, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween during operation of the machine.

16. The machine of claim 13, in which said second clamping means comprises an element movable with said needle and an element mounted on said frame with respect to which said first mentioned element is movable, said elements being brought together and clamping the thread therebetween during operation of the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,693,267 Berglind Nov. 27, 1928 1,976,709 Doubler Oct. 16, 1934 2,365,013 Sharkey et a1 Dec. 12, 1944 2,673,043 Montgomery Oct. 30, 1951 2,591,939 Holman Apr. 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,107 Great Britain 1907 

